2023 General Elections Aftermath: Anti-party activities divide political parties 

…As chieftains of parties suffer disciplinary actions

…Ward lashes Dep. Senate President, Omo-Agege with expulsion

…Says he worked against party during presidential election for his guber bid

By Moses Adeniyi

The aftermath of the General Elections have erupted stunning dynamics within the ranks of political parties in the Nigerian political space as allegations of anti-party activities, particularly involving chieftains of major political parties have begun to create confusion, tearing parties apart.

The two major parties of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and the major opposition, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) have begun the process of instituting punitive measures against some of their members believed to have worked for the opposition for their own selfish interest against the parties’ during the general elections.

The allegations of anti party activities have touched on some key chieftains of the two major parties causing rift and divisions among loyalists of the affected party bigwigs and other blocs, including party leaderships.

As the investigation of alleged anti party activities by leadership commenced within the APC, the rod of disciplinary actions have begun to stretch to some party bigwigs.

On Monday, there was confusion as the Deputy President of the Senate, Ovie Omo-Agege, was reportedly lashed with an expulsion announced by executives of the APC at his Ward in Orogun, Ughelli North Local Government Chapter.

Omo-Agege who was the party’s flag bearer in the just concluded Governorship election in Delta State, was accused of having worked for the opposition during the Feb. 25 Presidential election in exchange for support for his gubernatorial bid which he lost.

The party accused him of various offences committed, including alleged acts of anti party activities and gross misconduct, which the Ward Executives claimed has “brought shame and ridicule to the image of the party in the state which affected the party in the just concluded elections.”

The resolution and adoption of the expulsion of Omo-Agege as a member of the party, was signed by an expulsion letter signed by the Chairman, Ulebor Isaac, on behalf of the State Executive Committee of the Delta APC and Secretary, Inana Michael, and 23 others, where they unanimously resolved and adopted the expulsion of Omo-Agege as a member of the party by the executive committee of the Orogun Ward and Ughelli North Local Government chapter.

The expulsion document which was made available to journalists in Abuja, on Monday, read partly, “The State Executive Committee (SEC) of All Progressive Congress Delta State in a meeting held on the 31 March, 2023 at the State Secretariat, Asaba.

“After due deliberation of the Notice of Resolution of Expulsion of Senator Ovie Omo Agege as a member of the Party by the executive committee of the Orogun ward and Ughelli North Local Government Chapter dated 20th March, 2023 and accordance to the provision of Article 21.2 (D)(II)(VII) 21.3 and 21.5(g) of the constitution 2022 (as amended) we unanimously Resolved and Adopted the expulsion of Senator Ovie Omo Agege as a member of the Party.

“Consequently, Senator Ovie Omo Agege hereby stands expelled as a member of the party with immediate effect for various offences committed and acts of anti-party activities and gross misconduct that has brought shame and ridicule to the image of the party in the state which affected the party in the just concluded elections.”

The APC, Delta Central, in a communique made available to journalists on Monday, also disclosed that it has received and embrace the expulsion of Omo-Agege from his Ward.

The communique signed by the Vice Chairman, Delta Central, Sir Oruafe Michael reads, “We Are In Receipt Of Omo-Agege Expulsion From His Ward. When Omo-Agege was expelled, he didn’t appeal it seven days after.

“The Local Government has to approve the expulsion, and forward it to the state. We are calling on the National leadership of the party to approve Omo-Agege’s expulsion immediately without delay. This development shouldn’t in anyway affect members of the party.

“They should go about their normal business, as the call is for the benefit of the state party.”

The communique listed Omo-Agege‘s offences to include: hijack of the party from the Ward to the State and personal appointment of Publicity Secretary without consultation from anybody in the State.

The Communique also pointed out that Omo-Agege worked against APC’s interests by working for the Labour Party during the presidential election in exchange for their support for his governorship bid.

“This action, which we found distasteful affected the party chances in the State,” the communique further read.

The communique also noted that Omo-Agege deliberately favoured his Senatorial District against the other Senatorial Districts in terms of providing Federal Government projects.

Meanwhile, there were controversies around the expulsion as some sources from the national leadership of the party discountenanced the validity of the expulsion, identifying it as a factional craft which is not recognised.

The investigation of anti party activities is growing with division among the ranks of the major political parties. Some of the party bigwigs who were suspected to have worked for other parties based on interest have been targeted for disciplinary actions.

In the APC, some chieftains of the party, it has been gathered, are under investigation to establish their complicity in anti party activities for disciplinary actions.

Recall the Chairperson of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Lauretta Oniochie, a card carrying member of the APC, was last week suspended from the party over alleged anti-party activity.

Also, the APC in Kukadu Gundari Ward, Misau Local Government Area of Bauchi State also suspended the State APC chairman,  Alhaji Babayo Misau, for alleged anti-party activities.

Onochie’s suspension was conveyed in a letter signed by 27 executive members of Ward 4, Onicha-Olona in the Aniocha North Local Government Area of Delta State.

The letter was tittled, “Loss of confidence and suspension of Lauretta Oniochie as member of the APC in Onicha-Olona ward 4, Aniocha North Local Government Area.”

The Ward said the decision followed a review of Oniochie’s conduct during the just-concluded general elections.

The letter had read in part, “We, the under-listed, are the ward executive members of the All Progressives Congress in Onicha-Olona ward 4 Aniocha LGA Delta State.

“We have painstakingly reviewed the conduct of the just-concluded general elections at all levels and have noted, with dismay, that Onochie, who is one of the leaders of our great party, worked against the success of the party in Onicha-Olona Ward 4, and beyond.

“Information available to us show very clearly that she was openly campaigning for candidates of opposition parties, especially the Peoples Democratic Party, in the run-up to the presidential and National Assembly as well as the governorship and state House of Assembly elections.

“It was also observed that all her allies and supporters were working for the PDP in the state. The evidence of this could be seen in the fact that the party lost in her polling unit 8, ward 4 in the presidential, senatorial, House of Representatives, governorship and state Assembly elections.”

The Ward also alleged that Oniochie failed to fulfill her financial obligations to the party, adding that she never attended any ward and LG meetings or other party engagements.

However, in reaction, the APC Chairman, Aniocha North Local Government Area of Delta State, Mr Matthew Chinye said, “There is nothing like suspension; the letter is rubbish.”

Meanwhile, in Bauchi, the Chairman, Kukadu Gundari Ward, Alhaji Ibrahim Lawan, announced the suspension of the State APC chair, Misau, at a news conference last Saturday in Abuja.

The Ward Chairman had said Misau was suspended following  an emergency meeting of  the Ward executive members on Friday where anti-party allegations against him were considered.

“We are here to announce the suspension of the Bauchi State APC chairman in the person of Alhaji Misau as the chairman and member of the APC.

“All the allegations of anti-party activities, abuse of office and the violation of party’s constitution have been proved beyond reasonable doubts,” he said.

In his reaction to the suspension,  Misau told said  on Sunday in Abuja that the action was “null and void,” arguing  “they don’t have the powers to suspend me. They’d need to consult with other ward and council chairmen of the party before they can take such action.”

“What they did is totally unacceptable and not in consonance with the party’s constitution.”

Recall that within the ranks of the main opposition, the PDP, there have also been confusion over allegations of anti party activities, with suspension lashed on some of its chieftains, particularly those who were believed to be in loggerheads with the former National Chairman of the party,  Senator Iyorchia Ayu.

Some of those affected are former governor of Ekiti State, Ayodele Fayose; former president of the Senate, Pius Anyim; and others, including Prof Dennis Ityavyar and Aslam Aliyu, who were suspended by the Ayu-led PDP leadership.

However, Ayu himself suffered an ill fate as he was also suspended from his Ward in Igyorov Ward of Gboko Local Government Area (LGA) of Benue State.

His suspension came with immediate effect less than a week after the Party’s National Working Committe lashed some of its key members with suspension, a development that led to his ousting as the National Chairman of the PDP.

The Party had also referred Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom to the National Disciplinary Committee over his reported involvement in anti-party activities.

Ortom and Ayu hail from same Benue State but fell out due to irreconcilable differences over the General Elections.

Ortom is a member of the G-5 PDP Governors who demanded the resignation of Ayu as National Chairman in the build-up to the General Elections and his replacement by a southerner, since Atiku Abubakar the presidential candidate of the party is from the North.

Although the acting leadership of the Party has declared reconciliation moves with some suspension of its members lifted, the party is still suffering breaches of divergent interests which largely polarised its structure during the 2023 general elections.